NEW: Central Mass Community Colleges Score $400,000 in State Grants

Quinsigamond and Mt. Wachusett Community Colleges are set to receive $136,481 and $272,000 respectively as part of Governor Deval Patrick's community college initiative designed to strengthen the connections between community colleges, employers and the workforce.

A total amount of $4 million is being spread in grants to community colleges across the state in a effort to support increased skill training and workforce alignment, improve student learning outcomes, and improve efficiency measures at community colleges throughout the commonwealth. The grants are being awarded through the Performance Incentive Fund.

"A stronger community college system is good for students, employers and the whole Commonwealth," said Governor Patrick. "These additional resources will further accelerate this transformation, and help get people to work.”

“By partnering with our community colleges and strengthening their ties to businesses and career training, we will help close the skills gap facing many industries,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. “Ensuring more students and those seeking work are trained in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) is a major component of our efforts to increase skill training and support job creation and professional growth.”

The grant to Quinsigamond is specifically tailored to a initiative called "shorten the distance", which is designed to support both students' readiness for college and student success at the college once admitted. The grant to Mt. Wachusett is designed to increase college readiness and ultimate attendance rates, and to improve student success at the College and help build a new commitment to civic engagement activity.